Washer with collapsible protrusions for accommodating pivot gap material thickness

Abstract

A deformable washer incorporated into a pivot assembly including a support sector and a rotatable sector pivotally mounted to the support sector by aligning apertures in the sectors which receive a widthwise inserting pin. The washer includes a disk shaped body defining an open interior and such that the body is supported by the pin in a desired sandwiching arrangement between the sectors. Protrusions extend from either or both of first and second annular extending faces of the body exhibiting deformable characteristics such that, a laterally applied compressive force associated with the stacking assembly results in collapse of the protrusions without otherwise affecting the structural integrity of the underlying body and allows for variations in material thickness resulting in a lateral gap at the pivot while reducing instances of lateral play.

I claim: 
     
       1. A washer incorporated into a pivot assembly including a support sector and a rotatable sector pivotally mounted to the support sector by aligning apertures in the sectors which receive a widthwise inserting pin, said washer comprising:
 a disk shaped body defining an open interior and supported by the pin between the sectors; and 
 first and second pluralities of protrusions extending from each of first and second annular faces of said body and which are arranged in either of circumferentially or radially offset and uneven grouped fashion, said protrusions exhibiting deformable characteristics which, upon application of laterally compressive forces associated with assembling the sectors, results in collapsing of said protrusions in order to reduce instances of lateral play between the sectors and body while allowing for variations in material thickness between the sectors. 
 
     
     
       2. The washer as described in  claim 1 , each of said protrusions further comprising a generally stubbed cylindrical shape including a flattened elevated top surface. 
     
     
       3. The washer as described in  claim 1 , further comprising said protrusions being constructed of a plasticized material. 
     
     
       4. The washer as described in  claim 1 , said protrusions being integrally formed upon said body and being constructed of any of plasticized, deformable metallic or composite materials. 
     
     
       5. A pivot assembly, comprising:
 a pair of fixed outer support sectors; 
 a pair of inner rotatable sectors pivotally mounted to between said outer support sectors by aligning apertures in said pairs of sectors which receive a widthwise inserting pin; 
 a washer having a disk shaped body defining an open interior and supported by said pin between said inner pair of rotatable sectors; and 
 protrusions extending from each of first and second annular faces of said body, said protrusions being arranged in a grouped fashion upon said annular faces and exhibiting deformable characteristics which, upon application of laterally compressive forces associated with assembling the sectors, results in collapsing of said protrusions in order to reduce instances of lateral play between the sectors and body while allowing for variations in material thickness between said sectors. 
 
     
     
       6. The assembly as described in  claim 5 , further comprising first and second pluralities of said protrusions arranged in any of circumferentially or radially offset fashion along each of said annular faces. 
     
     
       7. The assembly as described in  claim 5 , each of said protrusions further comprising a generally stubbed cylindrical shape including a flattened elevated top surface. 
     
     
       8. The assembly as described in  claim 5 , further comprising said protrusions being constructed of a plasticized material. 
     
     
       9. The assembly as described in  claim 5 , said protrusions being integrally formed upon said body and being constructed of any of plasticized, deformable metallic or composite materials.